Does a Non-magnetic Solar Chromosphere Exist?

Mats Carlsson [1] and Robert Stein [2]
  1. Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, P.O. Box 1029, Blindern, N--0315 Oslo, Norway
  2. Department of Physics & Astronomy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
Astrophys. J. Lett., 440, L29 (1995) (gzip postscript)

Abstract

Enhanced chromospheric emission, which corresponds to an outwardly increasing semi-empirical temperature structure, can be produced by wave motion without any increase in the mean gas temperature. Hence, the Sun may not have a classical chromosphere in magnetic field free internetwork regions. Other significant differences between the properties of dynamic and static atmospheres should be considered when analyzing chromospheric observations.

Bob Stein home page or stein@pa.msu.edu